Nursing is a dynamic and complex field that requires continual learning. Many nurses choose to advance their skill sets through nursing certifications, which vouch for specialized nursing knowledge and can lead to higher pay and more employment options.
Explore 10 popular nursing certifications that can help you achieve your nursing career goals and enhance your qualifications.
Benefits of Nursing Certifications
Nursing certifications demonstrate specialized skill sets to your employer, peers and patients. Certifications lead to career advancement within your nursing specialty, opportunities to increase earnings and broader employment options.
Many hospitals and clinics seek certified nurses because these professionals provide higher-quality patient care. According to a 2020 study on the relationship between nurse certification and clinical patient outcomes published in the National Library of Medicine, nursing certification correlates with increased patient care quality by several metrics, including lower instances of falls and healthcare-associated infections.
—Jason Garbarino, D.N.P
Certifications for Recent Nursing Grads
Many hospitals and clinics require all nurses to hold foundational certifications like Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support. Employers may ask new nurses to complete required certifications within three to six months of employment.
Basic Life Support (BLS)
Certification Overview: All new nursing graduates must earn the Basic Life Support certification. BLS covers proper emergency response, including CPR techniques, how to use a defibrillator and how to respond when a patient cannot breathe.
Qualifications: Applicants must complete a BLS training course. Nurses do not need any prior qualifications or licenses for BLS certification. BLS courses are also open to healthcare providers and first responders.
Where To Earn It: New registered nurses (RNs) may earn BLS certification through their first employers. Any organization offering BLS certification must follow American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines.
AHA and AHA-qualified providers offer BLS training courses in person or in hybrid format. The American Red Cross (ARC) offers qualified training for BLS certification, which takes around four hours, including self-paced lessons, online assessments and hands-on skills practice. BLS certification is valid for two years.
Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS)
Certification Overview: Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support certification teaches advanced life-saving techniques, like placing breathing tubes, reading heart monitors and tests, recognizing heart attacks and strokes and giving appropriate medication.
Qualifications: Most ACLS providers require a BLS certification prior to ACLS training. Some hospitals only require ACLS certification for nurses working in critical care speciality areas such as emergency rooms (ERs) and intensive care units.
Where To Earn It: You can earn ACLS certification through an AHA-certified provider through hybrid or in-person training. ACLS in-person training lasts about 15 hours and is valid for two years.
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS)
Certification Overview: Pediatric Advanced Life Support teaches nurses, caregivers and first responders to recognize a child in distress and administer appropriate cardiovascular and breathing interventions.
Qualifications: You must attain proficiency in pediatric BLS skills before registering for PALS training. Only nurses working with children need the PALS certification.
Where To Earn It: The AHA provides PALS training in hybrid or in-person format which lasts about 12 hours. PALS completion cards are valid for two years.
Top Nursing Certifications
On top of basic nursing certifications, RNs can pursue certifications in particular areas of nursing to advance in their specialties or pivot their nursing career path. Some certifications are optional, but nurses with a master’s in nursing (MSN) usually need certification in their specialty areas to gain advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) licensure.
Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN)
Certification Overview: ER nurses can earn a Certified Emergency Nurse certification. Developed by practicing emergency nurses, the 175-question exam covers cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological emergencies, plus physical, mental and environmental aspects of ER nursing.
Qualifications: You must have a valid RN license to qualify for CEN certification.
Where to Earn It: Only the Board of Certification for Emergency Nursing (BCEN) offers CEN certification. CEN exams must take place at a Pearson VUE center or via live remote proctoring. The three-hour-long exam requires at least 106 correct questions to pass. You can retake the exam as often as needed after 90 days. Exam fees range from $195 to $450, depending on whether a candidate holds BCEN membership, purchases the organization’s test assurance package or qualifies for a military discount.
Renewal occurs every four years. CEN holders with valid RN licensure can renew by continuing education (CE) attestation if they have completed at least 100 CE contact hours within the renewal period. Those lacking contact hours can renew by retaking the certification exam. Renewal fees range from $185 to $280.
Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN)®
Certification Overview: Nurses with Critical Care Registered Nurse certification are most qualified to care for critically ill adult patients in high-impact care settings, including cardiac wards and intensive care and trauma units. The certification develops a nurse’s clinical judgment, professional caring and ethical practice.
Qualifications: You must hold a valid RN or APRN license to apply for CCRN certification and complete either 1,750 clinical hours caring for critical adult patients over two years or 2,000 clinical hours over five years.
Where to Earn It: Upon approval by the American Association of Critical Care Nurses (AACN), you can take the three-hour exam at a PSI Testing Center or online through live remote proctoring. The test consists of 150 questions, and you can retake the exam up to four times annually.
Exams cost $250 for AACN members or $365 for nonmembers and renewal occurs every three years. Certification holders can qualify for renewal either by earning 100 continuing education recognition points or by retaking the CCRN exam. Both pathways require an unencumbered nursing license and at least 432 clinical practice hours within the renewal period, with 144 hours logged within the year prior to the renewal date. Renewal costs $175 for members and $280 for nonmembers.
Certified in Executive Nursing Practice (CENP)®
Certification Overview: Earning the Certified in Executive Nursing Practice credential demonstrates a high aptitude for management and an ability to guide and transform a nursing team.
Qualifications: You must hold a valid RN license and either a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) with 8,320 hours of executive nursing experience or an MSN with 4,160 hours of experience. You must also meet the “target practitioner definition,” meaning you represent the characteristics of an executive nurse in your current position.
Where to Earn It: You can earn CENP certification through the American Organization for Nursing Leadership (AONL) at an approved testing center. Exams are 175 questions and last three and a half hours. Passing scores require 108 correct answers. You can retake the exam after 90 days and up to three times a year.
Exams cost $325 for AONL members or $450 for nonmembers, and renewal occurs every three years.
Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP – BC)™
Certification Overview: The FNP – BC certification signifies a high degree of competency in patient care over the entire lifespan. Family nurse practitioners usually work in primary care settings and with a broad demographic of patients.
Qualifications: To apply you must have a valid RN license, an MSN or a similar higher education degree, and 500 verified clinical hours. You must also have completed specific advanced coursework, including classes in physiology/pathophysiology, health assessment and pharmacology.
Where To Earn It: The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) offers the FNP-BC certification. Testing occurs online through live remote proctoring or at a Prometric Test Center. The 175-question exam takes three and a half hours. You can retake the exam after 60 days and up to three times a year.
The exam costs $295 for American Nurse Association (ANA) members or $395 for nonmembers and recertification occurs every five years.
You can also earn an FNP certification through the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners (AANP). Both credentials are highly regarded, and either one can advance your career. If you’re deciding between AANP vs. ANCC certifications, note that the ANCC FNP exam takes slightly longer and includes more questions. However, the 2022 pass rate for the AANP exam was 74%, while the ANCC exam’s pass rate was 86%, indicating that the shorter AANP exam may be more difficult for some test takers.
Holistic Nurse
Certification Overview: Holistic nurses practice in many settings and treat the whole patient. Many holistic nurses use alternative medicine and therapies but this is not mandatory.
Qualifications: You can earn one of four holistic nursing certifications depending on your education and experience:
- Holistic Nurse, Board-Certified (HN – BC)®
- Holistic Nurse Baccalaureate, Board-Certified (HNB – BC)®
- Advanced Holistic Nurse, Board-Certified (AHN – BC)®
- Advanced Practice Holistic Nurse, Board-Certified (APHN – BC)®
Exact requirements vary by certification, but all candidates must hold valid RN licensure.
Where To Earn It: You can only earn a holistic nurse certification through the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation. The Center for Nursing and Education Testing’s website lists local testing centers. After qualifying, you must pay and take the exam within 90 days. If you do not pass, you can retest after 30 days.
Application costs range from $50 to $125, and examination fees from $350 to $425, depending on certification and membership. Renewal occurs every five years.
Informatics Nursing Certification (RN – BC)®
Certification Overview: Nurses involved in computer systems and advanced technology within nursing can earn the Informatics Nursing Certification. Hospitals use data and information systems to organize records and streamline patient care and communications.
Qualifications: To qualify, you must have a BSN or above, a valid RN license, two years of nursing practice, at least 30 hours of CE courses in informatics and a minimum number of informatics-associated practice hours based on your education level.
Where To Earn It: ANCC offers RN – BC certification at Prometrics Testing Centers and through live remote proctoring. The 175-question exam lasts three hours. If you do not pass you can retake the exam up to three times a year after waiting 60 days.
Exams cost $295 for ANA members, $340 for American Nursing Informatics Association members and $395 for nonmembers. Renewal occurs every five years and requires completion of at least 75 CE hours and completion of at least one of eight professional development categories, such as academic credits, practice hours, research or preceptor hours. Renewal fees range from $250 to $350.
Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (Across the Lifespan) (PMHNP – BC)™
Certification Overview: A psychiatric-mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP) provides mental health care to patients, including diagnosing, prescribing medication and practicing therapeutic modalities. Earning PMHNP – BC certification allows PMHNPs to practice psychiatric care in hospital systems and private clinics.
Qualifications: You must hold a valid RN license, a PMHNP master’s or another higher education degree and proof of 500 clinical hours. You must also complete specific coursework in APRN core subjects, health promotion, differential diagnosis and disease management.
Where To Earn It: ANCC offers PMHNP certification exams. The 175-question exam takes three and a half hours and is available at Prometric Testing Centers or through live remote proctoring. If you do not pass, you can retake the exam after 60 days and up to three times a year.
Exams cost $295 for ANA members or $395 for nonmembers, with additional discounts available for members of other professional organizations. Renewal occurs every five years. PMHNPs can also earn an alternate certification from AANP.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Nursing Certifications
What certifications should nursing students get?
Nursing students should pursue a certification that reflects their interests and career goals. The majority of nursing programs require students complete BLS training prior to enrolling in clinical rotations. Recent nursing graduates can earn Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) or Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certifications to improve mobility within nursing units.
What are the different levels of nursing certifications?
Nursing certification requirements vary by education, experience and licensure levels. For example, RNs with BSN degrees may not qualify for the same certifications as APRNs with MSNs or higher.
Are nursing certifications worth it?
For many nurses, yes. Earning nursing certifications can improve your salary potential and advancement opportunities. Because certifications demonstrate your knowledge and dedication, they are typically highly valued by employers, and in fact, many employers offer support for nurses seeking certification. For example, employers might cover the cost of exams, offer paid time off for employees to study or have career ladders that increase nurses’ salaries with certification.
